"Government Surveillance: The Battle Over Expanded Powers"

Senate leaders are urging colleagues to renew the expiring warrantless surveillance law, Section 702, before it lapses on Friday, with pressure to avoid amendments that would delay the process. Despite the deadline, a national security court has granted a request allowing the program to operate for another year even if the law expires, but there could be smaller gaps in collecting some messages. Section 702 authorizes the government to collect messages of foreigners abroad from U.S. companies, but it is controversial due to the inclusion of messages of Americans in the sweep.